Loose-leaf binder



Aug. 7, 1923.

J. M. `GARDINER LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed MarGh 14 1921 rwcutoz Patented Aug. 7, i923.

ra "i narran Loose-nner ier-ninna.

Application .led March 14, 1921.

To @ZZ 'whom t may conce/rn.'

Be it lrnown that Josnrrr M. Gnimmnn, a citizen or' the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, has invented certain .new and useful improvements :in Loose-Leaf Binders, of which the :lollowing is a specilication.

This invention relates to .improvements in loose leaf binders or holders and has for one of its objects to provide improved post and pin structures whereby the saine may be lengthened or shortened as the number of sheets added to or removed from the binder renders such variation in the length of the posts and pins necessary or desirable.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of sectional post and pins whereby the same may be readily extended or shortened and to also provide improved means whereby to lock the sections together and prevent longitudinal displacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved construction oi sectional post wherein the same are or' substantially a rectangular shape with :fastening means extending through and clamping all the sections together' and. also having means to loclr adjacent sections to prevent rotation of one section with respect to the other.

The accompanying` drawing illustrates the invention, wherein,"

Fig. 1. shows a portion o1 a binder einbodying the invention, the leaves adjacent to the post being broken away to better illustrate the latter.

Fig. 2. illustrates the same `in sectional end elevation.

Fig. 3. shows a vertical sectional detail through the post with the locking means therein.

Fig. l. illustrates the rigid post-part in top View.

F ig. 5. shows one ol the detached post units in perspective. i

Fig. 6. illustrates the detached post locking-screw.

Fig. 7. shows a corner of one iorin of sheet or leaf with which the post is to coact and secure.

Fig. 8. illustrates a tool employed to operate the locking-screw.

Figs. 9 and 10 show enlarged sectional and top views respectively of a post sec-` Serial No. 452,073.

tion or unit embodying the invention but oi' a slightly modiiied form, and

Fig. 11. illustrates a sectional detail through one of the sectional pins and its Fastening means.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral 10, designates the stationary clamping bar and l1, the removable clamping bar of a binder. llach clamping bar has a back 12, hinged thereto in the usual manner and the movable clamping bar 11, is provided on its interior with a clamping mechanism which is operated by the rotation of a horizontal shaft 13, whose end is exposed at one end of the bar. All of these elements are well known, and are 'utilized in binders that are now upon the market, and a detailed illustra- `tion of theni is deemed unnecessary to an understanding of my present invention.

ln carrying out my invention provide the stationary clamping bar 10,` with sheetengaging' posts ot an improved construction as will now be explained.

In practice the bar 10, is oi" a hollow construction andL on the interior o1"- the same I seat a short post-base 1&1, which latter, in this instance, is rigidly secured to the bar by means of screws 15. ln prac-tice a plurality of these post-bases are employed,` but only one is illustrated in the drawing.

The post-base 111 is substantially rectangular in cross-section, the corners however being preferably rount ed, and as shown in Fig. el, the top ot' the base is provided with a plurality of depressions or sockets 16, while a central 'vertical screw-threaded bore 1i', extends down into the base.

For each post-base l provide a sectional post structure which is made up of a series of sections or units 18 and an uppermost post-section 18.

Each post section or unit has an exterior cross-sectional shape precisely like the eX- terior shape of the post-base, but some of the sections in the preferred term differ from the base in that they preferably have a vertical semi-circular slot extending therethrough from top to bottom which slot opens at one side.

At least the uppermost section oft each post has an upper portion 19 of this slot, that is of a greater area `than its lower portion 20, so that a semicircular shoulder 21, is formed in a horizontal plane between the upper and lower ends of the slot for a purpose presently to be explained.

The bottom of each post-section is provided with a plurality of downwardlyextending pins 22, while the top of each section is provided with a. plurality of depressions or sockets 23. l

When the sections are placed on top of the base-section 14 the pins 22 on the lower section will register with and enter the sockets 16 in the top of the base-section, while the recesses 23 in the top of each post section 18 will receive the pins 22 on the section next `above it. The pins and recesses therefore lock the sections together to prevent rotation or lateral displacement of one ksection with 'respect to the other.

The slots through the sections 18 are smooth, or are free of screw-threads, and when one, two, three or more sections are 'placed one after another on 'top of a postbase, all of the slots will aline with the 'central screw-threaded bore 17 in the post- 'base, as shown in Fig. 3, of the drawing.

The number of sections 1S, may be increased as the addition of leaves or sheets 2d, to the binder requires, as will presently be more fully explained.

1t is therefore to be understood that with each binder in which my sectional posts are employed there will be provided a number of post-sections so that the post may be lengthened as the additional sheets placed in the binder may require.

Vith each binder I also provide a series of locking screws 25, which are alike in construction but which are formed in. sets,-one set differing from another only in their length. As an example, if the binder is provided with four posts every set of locking` screws may comprise four screws.

kEach locking screw`25 has a screw-threaded body, an annular liange 26, at the upper end of the body, and a squared or angular head 27, so that a suitable wrench 2S, having a socket- 29, therein may be employed to rotate the screws.

The binder also employs a plurality of pins which according to my invention comprise a tubular base-pin 30, which is riveted or otherwise rigidly attached at 31 to the stationary bar 10 of the binder, as shown in lFigs. 2'and 11 of the drawing.

The tubular base-pin, like the post-base 14,'is rigid with the bar 10 and extends upwardly therefrom. rPhe interior of this base- `pin is'provided with screw-threads 32 so that a bolt may bescrewcd down into the tubular base-pin, as clearly shown in Fig. 11.

This bolt 33 has an enlarged head 34 at the upper end whose diameter is substantially equal to thc external diameter of the tubular base-pin.

On top of the tubular base-pin I provide a series of sleeves 35 and these sleeves are of an external size that corresponds with the external diameter of the tubular post and also the head 3a of the bolt.

1t will thus be seen that the pins may be extended by the addition of sleeves 35, around the bolt and supported above the base pin while the head of the bolt will clamp the sleeves down and hold them 1n place.

By reference to Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawing it will be noted that the modified form or base-section 36 has al central slot 37 therethrough, and has the -lower pins 22, and the upper sockets 23 just as in the preferred form. The only ditl'erence beingthat the shoulder 21 and open side to the slot are omitted in this modified form.

The character of sheets 24, employed in the binder is illustrated in Fig. 7, which shows the sheet with edge notches 37, and a perforation 3S, between two notches.

The notches are shaped and sized to `fit about or receive the post-sections whilethe peritorations 33, permit the passage of the sectional pins. I

1n practice when the binder is first put into use the post bases 1e, only may be used and the movable clamping bar 11 and its hinged back 12, will be removed,-the movable clamping bar being provided with suitable vertical slots through-which the postbases or the post-sections may project.

The sheets or leaves 24, will be placed on top ofthe lower -locli part 12, and stationary bar 10,-- the perforations 32, in the sheetsA being inserted over the pins 30, and the notches 37, embracing the post-bases 14. The clamping bar 11, and its lock arethen placed on top of the sheets and the Vpostbases will projectthrough the movable lbar 11. lhen the bar 11 and lockv 12, are in place the bar will be pressed down over the post-bases to compress the sheets between it and the bar 10, and while held in `this position the wrench 23, will be engaged with the end of shaft 13, and the latter rotated which causes the clamping means in the bar 1l, to engage the post-bases andhold the bar in locked position.

W hen the post-bases 14, are too short to allow more sheets to be placed in the binder, the clamping bar 11 and its lock 12, will be removed and one or more units or postsections 1S, or 36 will be placed on the end of each post-base and a. locking screw 25 will be passed down through the central slots et each post-section, and screwed down into the threaded bore 17, of the po'st base until the lange 26, seats on the senii -cir cular shoulder 21, in the post-section slot or ona washer that may be' used when the sections 34 are employed. These post--sections as heretofore explained are held against rotation by the recesses 16 and 23 lll() and the pins 22, and when clamped by the screws 25 are rigid, and have the same ef- 'ect as though they were integral with the postbases.

The reason for utilizing the units or sections is, that when the binder is in use very little post-end projects beyond the movable clamping bar because only suthcient units are employed to clamp the sheets in the binder, whereasif the posts are made long enough to accommodate all the sheets the binder may hold at any one time, then the posts would project so far beyond the clamping bar il, as to materially .interfere with the practicability of the binder when the latter is spread open like a book.

`Having described my invention, what l claim is,-

l. ln a loose lea-f binder the combination with two clamping bars each carrying a hinged back7 oi? post bases attached to one of said bars, detachable post sections designed to be mounted on each post-base, means for locking the sections to prevent the rotation of one with respect to the other or with respect to the post-base and means extending down through the sections into the base to lock all the sections down on the base said latter means being independent of the locking means that prevents rotation.

2. ln a loose leatl binder the combination with two clamping bars each carrying a hinged back, of post bases attached to one of said bars, detachable post sections designed to be mounted on each post-base, means for locking the sections against rotation with respect to the post-base and means for rigidly securing the sections to the base.

3. In a loose leaf binder the combination with two clamping-bars, of sectional posts extending between said bars7 a screw extending vertically through the sections and engaging the lowermost section for locking the sections together and means independent of the screw tor locking the sections against independent rotation.

4f. ln a loose leair binder the combination with two clampingbars, ot' post bases attached to and projecting from one or' said bars, each post-base having a screwthread ed socket therein, post-sections for each post base and each section having a central opening therethrough and of the saine cross-sectional shape as the post base, a bolt extending down through the central openings of the sections and engaging the threads in the socket of the base whereby to lock the sections on the base and projecting means on each section to engage a recessin another or in a post base to lock the sections against independent rotation.

5. In a loose leaf binder the combination with two clamping-bars7 of post bases attached to and projecting from one ot said bars7 each post-base having a screw-threaded socket therein, post-sections each having a central opening therethrough `and oi the same cross-sc tional shape as the post base and the uppermost section having a shoulde in its central opening and a bolt passing down through the section openings and screwing into the socket in the base and the upper end of the bolt engaging the shoulder in the central openingot the uppermost section.

6. In a loose leaf binder the combination with two clamping bars, of post-bases attached to and projecting from one of said bars; post-sections on top of the post bases and having openings therethrough and the uppermost section being provided with a shoulder in its opening, and means extending down through the sections and bearing on the shoulder of the uppermost section and engaging the post-base for locking the sections and base together.

7. A sectional post for loose leal" binders comprising a base section having a threaded bore therein, a series of post-sections each having a vertical opening extending therethrough, a locking screw passing through the openings of the sections and entering the bore or' the base,-said screw having a head on its outer end which head has a diameter equal to the exterior diameter of both the hase and post sections.

8. A sectional post for loose leaf binders comprising a base section having a threaded bore therein,l a series of post-sections having a vertical opening extending therethrough and the uppermost section having a shoulder in said opening and a locking` screw having a fla-nge to seat on the shoulder in the opening of the uppermost post section and said screw passing down into the thread ed bore of the base-section- '9. A sectional post for loose leaf binders comprising a base section having a threaded'bore therein1 post-sections on top of the base and some of said post-sections having a slot extending vertically therethrough and the uppermost section having a shoulder in its said slot; means at the top and bottom oit' the sections vtor engaging one section with j another to prevent rotation and a locking screw passing through the sections and hav-` inga flange to seat on the shoulder in the slot of the uppermost section and the lower end oie the -screw entering the threaded bore in the base section.

l0. sectionalpost for loose leaf binders comprising a base section having a threaded bore therein, series of post-sections each having a vertical opening extending there through and each section having means at its upper and lower sides for engaging with the next section above and below it to prevent rotation of one section with respect to another and means for locking the base and post sections together.

v Y.4h 1,464,313

11. In a loose leaf 1oinder the combination soreW-threads,l sleeves of uniform internal i0 with two clamping bars, of sectional posts and external .diameter wththeexternaldiextending between said bars, sectional pins :mieter the same as that ot' the tubular baSe also extending between said bars and said and :L screw passing throughthesleevesand 5 posts `and `pins each having headed screws 'having a. head Whose `external diameter is therein and passingthronghthe several seC- uniform with the external diameter of the 15 tions to clamp the sections together. sleeves and the tubular base.

12. A sectional -pin for loose leaf binders In ,testimony whereoflafx my signature.

` comprising a tubular base having internal JOSEPH M. G ARDNER. 

